Dr David Cottrell received his first class BSc in pharmacology and MB ChB from Edinburgh University in 1991 and 1994. His general neurology training and PhD in CNS ageing and mitochondrial genetics was completed in Newcastle upon Tyne. He was involved in the London, Ontario MS natural history project and has published several MS natural history papers in addition to publications in mitochondrial disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and CNS ageing.

Dr Cottrell was appointed as a consultant neurologist and honorary senior clinical lecturer at North Bristol Trust and Bristol University in 2005. He now specialises in Multiple Sclerosis and in particular Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Dr Cottrell in addition to his full time clinical role leads an MS clinical research group. He is the local PI for several international multi-centre and local MS clinical trials. In addition he has led both a longitudinal neurophysiological natural history trial in PPMS and helped pioneer “Qu lab” an EEG exploratory cognitive software platform.

He was one of the co-founders of the BRAMS (BRistol and Avon MS charity) and helped create the new BRAIN clinical and research centre at Southmead Hospital. BrAMS has raised in the order of £2 million to help promote MS care and research in the Bristol region.